Radio Frequency Identification Tagging as a Mechanism of Creating a Viable Producer’s Brand in the Cattle Industry

Brian Mennecke, Anthony Townsend
May 2005 [05-MRP 8]

This manuscript reports on a project to examine the feasibility of extensive radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging to determine product provenance in the meat production industry. The investigators examined existing technologies and meat production processes as well as emerging technologies in RFID tagging to assess the potential of RFID technologies for provenance assurance. While RFID technologies hold tremendous promise for traceability, the current state of the technology and production process creates challenges for effectively creating full traceability. However, RFID holds tremendous potential for improving processing throughput, which will help make RFID-based traceability more attractive for adoption by meat processors.